


Weak

by SandscriptTale



Category: Carole & Tuesday (Anime)
Genre: Age Difference, Drabble Collection, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2020-10-28 11:48:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20778077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SandscriptTale/pseuds/SandscriptTale
Summary: Ertegun is well aware of his weakness to that boy. Ertegun/Roddy [Possible drabble collection. Will see how many ideas I get for this.]





	1. Weak

**Author's Note:**

> Ok I'm sorry but Roddy was my favorite character in this whole series that I just finished watching today and I just really liked the thought of Ertegun and him?? As self-centered and narcissistic as Ertegun is, I really liked his soft spot for Roddy(who honestly kept getting the short end of the stick the whole series my poor baby). And since I'm a total pervert I already thought of plenty of scenarios that I can see Ertegun and Roddy in. But of course, since I don't support underage, Ertegun has to wait until Roddy is eighteen. But since he's seventeen, he doesn't have to wait long.

It was no secret to Ertegun that he was weak to that boy.

It wasn’t as if he was the best AI programmer and system engineer, but he would never allow him to work for him if he wasn’t capable either.

But it wasn’t his intelligence or skill that held his interest either.

Maybe it was the way he looked when he was flustered, the way his cheeks reddened, and he averted his gaze and hunched his shoulders and ducked his head. It made something churn in the pit of his stomach, something like affection and curiosity.

Hence, he was never able to say no to him.

Even more so because it meant that this innocent and adorable boy kept coming back for more requests, and it delighted him to feel needed and useful to the kid.

Alas, a kid he still was.

It was what Ertegun had to remind himself of every time he invaded the boy’s personal space to indulge his need to see that flustered look on his face, when he teased him mercilessly to see just how red and embarrassed he would become.

No matter.

Before long he would be an appropriate age, and maybe then he would test the boundaries.

After all, he was Ertegun.

Glorious and perfect in every way.

There was no one in all the settled worlds who would deny him.

Even his precious little Roddy.


	2. House Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ertegun has a cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so glad to see all the Ertegun/Roddy shippers out there! I was honestly surprised to find no fics under them which I why I felt the need to write even just a short drabble. 
> 
> So here's a longer bit, and you'll be happy to know I already have ideas for a few more chapters!

Roddy was immersed in a new anime he had started watching, a mecha anime of course. The designs were absolutely beautiful and the story deep, which was how he had already binged half the series in one sitting, and he had no intention of stopping. It wasn’t like he had anything planned for the day, and everyone needed a day for themselves and to do nothing but watch TV and relax.

As another amazing fight scene between two giant mechs began, Roddy grinned with excitement as he leaned forward in his seat.

His concentration was broken by the sharp ringtone of his cell phone, and Roddy felt his face fall at the familiar sound of the electronic track that he had programmed for this particular person. He considered ignoring it, but when guilt quickly settled in the pit of his stomach, Roddy picked up his phone with a defeated sigh.

“Hello?” he answered, not to excitedly. 

_“Roddy! I need you!”_

Roddy resisted the urge to groan at the loud and demanding tone of the man on the other end of the line. Even worse, he sounded more dramatic than usual. Never a good sign.

“Why? You don’t have anything planned anytime soon,” Roddy answered, confused about what Ertegun possibly needed him for. He had been sure he had no shows planned for another few weeks, or any events that he would be needed for.

_“I’m sick… come take care of me…”_

Roddy blinked in confusion, but for the first time was able to hear the nasally sound on Ertegun’s voice.

“Huh? Why would I do that? You’re a grown man!” Roddy countered.

Ertegun made some whining noises that caused Roddy to sweat drop at the childish display.

_“Roddy! You’re so cruel!”_ Ertegun whined dramatically, and sounded as if he was bordering on tears.

Roddy sighed exasperatedly.

“Why me? Why not call that girl you’re seeing?” Roddy replied as he frowned and leaned against the chair behind him as he looked at the ceiling.

_“She said she had an important shoot coming up and can’t get sick! I’ve been abandoned! Roddy you’re the only one I can count on!”_

This time, Roddy did groan.

“Can’t you just heat up some soup in the microwave and take some cold medicine?”

More loud whining, and now Roddy was slumping in his seat.

_“After all I’ve done for you! Even after I let in those delinquent girls for you and they trashed my place! After I let you borrow my car only for you to wreck it!”_

At the reminders of his blunders, Roddy felt his guilt return tenfold, and again he groaned. Ertegun had a point… no one else would let him get away with stuff like that… but somehow Ertegun had been able to forgive him and not fire him. That had to count for something.

After a moment of silence, Roddy sighed in defeat as he looked at the paused screen of his anime with longing.

“Fine… I’ll be right there.”

* * *

Roddy stopped by the drugstore to pick up some things, but before long he arrived at Ertegun’s place and let himself in easily.

He found Ertegun sprawled out on the couch with a blanket over him, and grimaced at seeing used tissues strewn about the place.

“Would it kill you to throw away your tissues in a garbage can?” Roddy reprimanded as he approached the man whose sniffles he could hear form the doorway, and as he finally saw him, he could see that he looked sicker than he sounded. His nose was red and puffy, he was paler than usual, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

Roddy had never seen Ertegun any less than perfectly manicured and put together, and the sight left him a little shocked.

It was enough to make him a little more inclined to give him the medicine he bought, and heat up the soup, and take his temperature.

Ertegun was less whiny than he had been over the phone, at least.

“Have you never been sick before?” Roddy asked curiously as he handed Ertegun a bowl of soup, who only looked at it with a glare.

“You’re not going to feed me?” Ertegun asked, completely ignoring his question, and Roddy blinked.

“Um… no?”

“Roddddyyyyy! I don’t want to get germs on the bowl.”

Now Roddy could feel his eyebrow twitch as Ertegun pouted up at him.

“Have you not seen all your tissues everywhere?”

Ertegun deflated further into the couch.

“But I’m so weak…”

Roddy sighed, and closed his eyes. He knew it was best to indulge the man, knowing how utterly stubborn he could be when he had his mind set on something. Not to mention, the faster he got him taken care of, the faster he could go home and finish his anime.

“Fine,” Roddy growled out, and ignored the look of glee on Ertegun’s face as he sat up and turned to him.

Roddy tried to fight down his annoyance as he fed the grown man, who looked as happy as a kid to be spoon fed the soup, which only made his annoyance melt _a little_.

Especially when the silver-haired man kept praising him and thanking him and looking at him like he was his savior.

Maybe it wasn’t the worst thing, to feel needed by one of the most successful men in Mars.

* * *

Three days later Roddy woke up in a coughing fit and with a sore throat. His head felt congested and his body heavy, and he sent an angry text to the source of his sickness as soon as he had gathered up enough energy to do so.

He was surprised when less than an hour later, someone was knocking on his door, and he opened it to see none other than the same man who got him sick in the first place, carrying a bag full of cans in each hand.

“I wasn’t sure what kind of soup you liked, so I brought one of each.”


	3. Drunken Insecurities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ertegun is feeling a bit down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for Episode 17. But oof. I planned on waiting for part 2 to come to Netflix but then I peeked ahead and saw this episode description and like... had to watch?? And no regrets. It was everything I could ever ask for.

Ertegun thought having his fortune and fame back would mean going back to his normal life. He had his home back, his accounts were full, and his fans appeased and stronger than ever after his strong comeback.

But as he downed another scotch at the lively club, the riveting bass did little to lift his spirits like it usually did, and the attention of the women felt repulsive rather than expected and satisfying like it always did.

He ended up just buying the bottle of scotch and leaving the club, drinking the harsh liquid in large gulps as he called his driver and told him to just drive around for a bit since he didn’t know where he wanted to go.

He didn’t want to go home, not really. The large and luxurious mansion held no appeal to him just then.

For the first time since his fall from fame, he felt empty and numb.

Worthless.

But why?

As he looked out the window, his head was becoming foggy, and he had to rub his eyes as they became just a bit unfocused.

He glanced at his phone and opened up his contacts.

As he scrolled through the long list of names, he felt a pang of resentment and anger at seeing the names of the people that had been so quick to forsake him when he had nothing.

All except one.

Ertegun’s eyes widened and his finger stopped its scrolling as it hovered over the name. This name was not like the others, it didn’t make him feel angry and resentful. Rather, warmth bubbled up in the center of his chest at the sight of it.

Yes, this person was not like the others. Not like the others at all.

This was the one person that stuck by him, and helped him get out of the sinkhole of despair before it had been too late. Who believed in him when he didn’t believe in himself.

With a look of determination, he told his driver where to take him next.

* * *

It was 3 A.M when a loud pounding startled him from his sleep, and Roddy almost tumbled out of his bed at the sound.

His heart was racing as his brain jumped into overdrive, his body on alert at what had woken him up. It took only a moment to break from the grogginess of sleep as the pounding of the door registered in his brain, and this time, Roddy was cautious as he quietly approached the sound.

Who the hell was knocking on his door at this time of night?

“_Roddy_! It’s me! Open up!”

Now Roddy was frowning at the familiar voice.

What the hell was _he_ doing here?

Still, he opened the door and was met with the sight of Ertegun in a white suit and holding a bottle of liquor as he leaned his hand onto the wall for support.

“Ertegun… what the hell are you doing here at this time of night?” Roddy demanded in a harsh whisper with a glare.

He was surprised at the goofy smile that formed on Ertegun’s face, and the way he made his way towards him only to wrap his arms around him in a hug that sent them backwards into the apartment from Ertegun’s weight and unsteady steps.

Roddy’s eyes widened as he struggled to hold Ertegun’s unexpected weight and hold them upright as the older man stumbled against him while his grip around him remained firm.

Despite himself, Roddy felt his heart race at the proximity and embrace of the man, but grimaced when he smelled the strong smell of alcohol on his person.

“You’re clearly drunk…” Roddy said, trying to pull away from the unexpected embrace but unable to from the tight grip that Ertegun had around him.

Rather than reply, Ertegun’s grip on him only tightened, and this time, Roddy felt his face heat up at the way Ertegun practically nuzzled the side of his head.

“Roddy… can you hold me?”

Roddy’s eyes widened once more at the sadness that dripped from Ertegun’s words. It wasn’t the faked and dramatic kind of sadness that Ertegun often did to get his way, it was genuine and made him feel a pang of empathy in his heart as the pleading tone of it.

Slowly, Roddy relaxed, and his arms moved to embrace Ertegun as they settled on his back. Only then did Ertegun’s desperate grip on him relax, and Roddy felt something like sympathy in the pit of his stomach as he held the older man.

“Is something wrong?” Roddy asked softly.

It had been a few weeks since Ertegun’s comeback, and he had thought that he had bounced back well from it all. So why was he drunk and at his doorstep?

“Roddy… I thought I would be happy again once I had my fame back… but I’m not…”

Ertegun’s grip tightened on him once more, and Roddy frowned at his words.

“People were so quick to leave and forget about me and tear me down once I was no longer rich and famous… how do I know they won’t do it again? How do I know they won’t all leave me behind and forsake me just as easily?”

Roddy sighed, and gently pried himself away from the morose man.

“Let’s go to the couch, I’ll get you some water.”

Ertegun seemed reluctant to let him go, but finally he complied as he let Roddy grab him by the arm and lead him to the couch, his steps still unsteady as he plopped down on the couch in the darkened room. The only light came from Roddy’s computer setup, and with a promise to be right back, Roddy went to get a glass of water for the inebriated man.

When he came back, he handed the glass to the silver-haired man, who took it silently as he glanced down at the ground.

Roddy frowned as he sat next to him.

“People won’t forsake you… because you won’t let them. You’re going to keep making amazing music and prove to everyone why you’re the most successful DJ. It’s as simple as that.”

Roddy was glad to see him take a few gulps of the water, and with the dim light from his computer, he could now see a heaviness that dampened Ertegun’s usual cheery and confident demeanor. It wasn’t the same as the look of despair and defeat that he had been overwhelmed by weeks ago when he lost his money and the media turned on him, it was more of a deep sadness that Roddy couldn’t say he had seen before.

He was surprised again, when Ertegun fell sideways so that his head settled on his lap, and Roddy’s face once more heat up as he froze on the spot.

“You were the only one there for me Roddy… you helped me when no one else cared to when I had nothing to my name. You helped me see that I was more than money and fame… and reminded me what it was like to make my own music without AI.”

Roddy couldn’t bring himself to push the older man away in the midst of his vulnerability, and simply settled his hand awkwardly atop his silver head.

His hair was softer than he expected, and his hand began to run through his hair before he could quite understand what he was doing. But when Ertegun sighed contentedly, Roddy decided to continue the motion.

“You did that yourself… you made your own comeback.”

Roddy flushed deeper when one of Ertegun’s hands settled on his thigh.

“Maybe… but I couldn’t have done it without you. I see now that you’re the only person I can count on… everyone else only cares about what I can give them… whether its music, a boost to fame, a good time… but not you... Everyone is so fake… but you… you’re real.”

Roddy felt his heart race at Ertegun’s word, surprised by the genuine emotion behind them. It was so unlike Ertegun, to be so… _human_. He strived to be larger than life, always extravagant. It’s what drew people to him, what made people praise and admire him.

But no one could say they had seen this side of him, not this genuinely, and the fact that Ertegun allowed himself to be seen this way by him spoke volumes of the trust he had in him. It made Roddy feel warm as he smiled softly.

“Well… you can count on me.”

For a moment, neither said anything, and Roddy continued to run his fingers through Ertegun’s hair, until the man stirred from his lap and lifted himself up so that he was looking at him, his eyes once more vulnerable and pleading as they glittered with the dim light in the room.

“Roddy… can I hold you? Just for a bit?”

Roddy’s eyes widened at the man’s unexpected request, his heart hammering in his chest as his cheeks once more heat up, this time hotter than before as he was left at a loss for words.

Seeing the look of shock on his face, Ertegun grabbed a hold of his hand softly.

“I just… don’t want to feel alone right now…”

Roddy could practically hear his heart beating in his ears, the sound almost deafening as he looked at Ertegun’s face. He could see no ill-intentions from the man… and Roddy _knew_ him… not to mention… he trusted him. Even in his drunken state, Roddy knew he could trust him.

“F-fine… but no funny business!” Roddy replied, his face heating up even more at the words he couldn’t believe he was saying.

There was a flash of joy on Ertegun’s face as he smiled softly, and Roddy felt beyond embarrassed as the silver-haired man maneuvered them so that he was lying down on the couch with Roddy in front of him, his back to his chest as one arm settled beneath to cradle his head and the other draped across his stomach as it drew him closer to the man behind him.

Roddy’s heart continued to race as he settled against Ertegun, not quite sure what to do with his own hands as they settled in front of him. They just barely fit on his couch, and Roddy could feel the warmth radiating from Ertegun as he held him close.

“Thank you, Roddy…”

Roddy flushed deeper, his hands clenching slightly at the way Ertegun’s sincerity made his heart skip a beat.

“J-just… don’t get used to it. This is a one-time thing!” Roddy replied indignantly, even if the look on his face betrayed the tone of his voice.

Ertegun chuckled behind him as he drew him closer, and once more Roddy heat up at the sensation.

“Ok Roddy… whatever you say.”


	4. Sweet Melody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roddy walks into an unexpected sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea kept me up last night so I had to write it down. I'm so happy to see the reception to this. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy this piece, and I'm already working on the next bit as well. I was going to keep them together but decided they're good separately too.

Roddy stepped out of the car that brought him to Ertegun's house. They had a music session scheduled for today to help him with a new song he was working on, and Roddy smiled and greeted the guards at the entrance that happily greeted him back as they let him in.

It was a warm and peaceful kind of day, and Roddy was excited to be working on music with Ertegun, well… if he bothered to actually pay attention and give feedback that is. Every time Roddy came over to work with him his house was full of pretty women lounging about in their bikini’s poolside or dancing around the living room, and half the time Ertegun’s attention was divided between their calls and his work.

Roddy just hoped he paid enough attention that they could get a good amount of work done.

He paused when he began to hear the melody of a piano playing, and his eyes widened as he listened. It was calm and soothing, but he couldn’t quite place what composition it was, and whether it was original or not.

Was that… actually Ertegun playing? No way… was Ertegun even capable of playing something so calm?

No… it had to be someone else. One of the girls he had over probably trying to impress him.

As he approached the room from where the sound was playing from, he peeked slowly into the room, expecting a large gathering of people… only there wasn’t.

Roddy’s eyes once more widened as he watched the lone figure of Ertegun as he sat on the grand piano as he serenely and masterfully pressed the keys along its length, creating the melody that flowed into his ears. His eyes were closed as he was lost in the music, a small barely noticeable smile on his lips to show he was content.

The sight made his chest warm up, the way it always did when he could feel emotion being played through music. It was similar to the way listening to Tuesday and Carole made him feel… but also different seeing that it was coming from Ertegun. It was such a vast difference from his usual dance music that it seemed even more unbelievable to Roddy. He had known that Ertegun was talented… but seeing this side of him sent him through a loop. This song was beautiful… awe-inspiring. It spoke of deep emotions and longing, peace and acceptance. How could someone as narcissistic and proud as Ertegun be able to play something like that?

So lost in listening to Ertegun’s song and his thoughts, Roddy didn’t notice that Ertegun had opened his eyes and caught sight of him, but his playing didn’t stop as he finished the song, his gaze on Roddy the entire time.

Only when the song came to an end did Roddy break from his trance like state, and he blushed as he caught sight of Ertegun’s shit-eating grin that reminded him just how self-absorbed Ertegun truly was despite his rare moments of vulnerability.

“Since when have you owned a piano?” Roddy asked instead of greeting him, stepping into the room and trying to look more cool and collected than he felt.

Ertegun’s smile just widened.

“Ah, just a few weeks or so. Playing that delinquent girl’s keyboard made me itch to play again. So I decided to get this baby.”

Roddy frowned at his description of Carole.

“She’s not a delinquent… can you not call her that? Her name is _Carole_,” Roddy defended.

Ertegun blinked before holding up his hands as if in surrender.

“Fine, sorry. Carole it is. I guess her music isn’t too bad either.”

Roddy resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Ertegun’s reluctant admission, but he knew that the fact that he was saying it out loud spoke volumes considering how critical he knew Ertegun to be.

“Anyway, where’s your entourage of women?” Roddy asked as he stopped just next to Ertegun, his eyes raking over the piano at the close-up of it. It was a C. Bechstein, a classic that had withstood the test of time. It was shiny and beautiful, with a silver finish rather than black, something that seemed to suit someone like Ertegun.

“Hm? Women? Oh, yeah it’s just me today. Are you disappointed? Am I not enough for you?” Ertegun teased with a pout, and Roddy couldn’t help the flush on his face.

“No that’s not it! If anything, it’s good to know you won’t be distracted today,” Roddy defended.

Now, that self-satisfied grin was back.

“Well no worries there Roddy, I’m all yours today.”

The low throaty tone of voice that Ertegun was using made Roddy tense as a chill ran down his spine, more so from the molten look in Ertegun’s eyes as he held his gaze.

As he felt his cheeks heat up once more, Roddy abruptly turned so that Ertegun couldn’t see him.

“J-just hurry up and let’s get started, I’m here to work you know,” Roddy replied as he briskly walked in the direction of the setup where they normally worked, and tried to ignore the throaty chuckle from the man behind him as he followed.

As the silver-haired man caught up with him, Roddy couldn’t help but sneak a glance at him, not surprised to see his usual unconcerned grin on his face.

“What song were you playing?” Roddy asked, his curiosity too strong to ignore.

“Oh, that? I made it myself,” Ertegun admitted, a proud look on his face.

“It was… nice… did you give it a name?”

Ertegun made a look of deep contemplation, before looking inspired as another proud smile formed on his lips.

“Hm… yeah, I have a name for it,” he finally said, and Roddy frowned.

“What is it?” Roddy pressed, curious at the odd look on Ertegun’s face.

Ertegun stopped walking, and Roddy stopped along with him, confused.

He was even more confused when Ertegun turned to him with a look of warmth and sincerity in his eyes.

“I call it… _Ode to Roddy_.”

Roddy’s eyes widened, and his heart jumped in his chest as heat flooded to his cheeks. He couldn’t be serious… right? Why would Ertegun dedicate a song to him? Especially a song like _that_. Roddy could still hear the melody in his ears, and the feelings that it evoked in him.

“S-stop joking around,” Roddy said, his head ducking as he looked away when he felt as if his face was on fire. God, why did he feel so flustered?

Ertegun only chuckled, before he placed an arm around Roddy’s shoulders and began to guide them towards their workstation once more, but not before trying to etch the look on Roddy’s face into his memory.

“Now, why would I joke about my muse?”

This time, Roddy didn’t know what to say, so he merely let Ertegun guide him as he tried to fight down his blush.

Honestly... who told him he could say something so embarrassing?


	5. Prank Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carole and Tuesday conduct an experiment.

“How long have you known Ertegun for, Roddy?”

Roddy looked up from his phone at Carole’s question, seeing the curiosity on her face as he blinked in surprise. It was unusual for the two girls to ask him personal questions, since they tended to be absorbed in whatever task he came to help them with.

He had come over to help them organize their social media accounts and website that they had put together, and they were currently on a snack break as they sat around the living room eating some fruit that Tuesday had brought for them.

“Oh, not very long. I started working for him just a month or two before I met both of you.”

He watched with confusion as both girl’s eyes widened.

“No way!” Tuesday cried out, her mouth a wide ‘o’ as she looked at him as if he had grown another head, and Carole looked much the same.

“Uh… is that weird?” Roddy asked as he sunk into the couch beside him.

Carole and Tuesday looked at each, in that way that Roddy had learned they did when they were having a silent conversation, with their eyebrows and lips moving incomprehensively to anyone besides each other. Finally Carole looked away and turned to him.

“Well, it’s just that he seems to really like you, so we thought you guys went way back or something,” she clarified, and Roddy blinked again.

“What do you mean? He likes plenty of people,” Roddy said.

Again, Carole and Tuesday shared a look, both smiling before laughing lightly.

“Not really… Ertegun likes pretty girls and what people can do for him, but he doesn’t really seem to care for people much, just business. But with you… he seems to really like being around you, and he’s done a lot for you in just the time we’ve known you.”

Now Roddy was blushing, was that really how they came off to people that knew them?

“That’s a bit harsh… Ertegun isn’t _that_ bad,” Roddy argued.

Now the two girls shared an incredulous look.

“See, the fact that you don’t see it means that he doesn’t show that side to you. But trust me… we’ve seen that side,” Tuesday said with a giggle.

“I think you guys are imagining things…” Roddy said, unconvinced. Sure, some things had been weird recently, what with Ertegun coming over in the middle of the night while drunk. But that had been different… he had been drunk and vulnerable. It didn’t mean anything.

“Ooh! I have an idea! Let’s give him a prank call and tell him something happened to Roddy! We’ll see what he says and does,” Carole suggested with a large grin on her face and a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Roddy frowned.

“Are you crazy? That’s a terrible idea,” he said.

Again, the girls shared a look with each other, and before Roddy could process what was happening, Tuesday had thrown herself over him, causing his mind to shut down as his body froze, while Carole grabbed his phone in his frozen state and opened it up to pressed some buttons.

When Roddy’s brain finally caught up, Carole already had the phone to her ear, and Roddy still couldn’t move as Tuesday grabbed him and he was too flustered to try and move her.

“Ertegun! Something happened! Roddy came over to help Tuesday and me and these big scary guys came in with masks on and took him and grabbed him! They told us not to call that cops and not to leave and I didn’t know who to call so I called you but—”

Carole blinked as her face fell and she brought the phone away from her face.

“Um… he hung up.”

Roddy felt his heart drop and something unpleasant churn in the pit of his stomach, but he was quick to push those feelings down as he looked to see a flustered and guilty looking Carole look at him warily, as well as Tuesday slowly getting off of him and looking at him with concern.

“See, I told you.”

Carole and Tuesday shared a concerned look.

“Maybe his phone died,” Tuesday quietly suggested.

“Y-yeah, that’s probably it.”

“His phone is always charged. I’m just not anything special, that’s okay,” Roddy said, even if the words tasted bitter on his tongue.

The girls shared another look of guilt and concern.

“Don’t say that Roddy! You’re awesome and one of a kind! I don’t know where we’d be without you!” Carole tried to appease him.

“Yeah! And if you did get kidnapped by big scary guys, we would do everything we could to get you back!” Tuesday added with a look of determination on her face.

Roddy sighed.

“I’m sure. But if that does happen, call the cops and not Ertegun, okay?” Roddy said it playfully, and he was glad to see the girls relax and smile cheekily at him, and before long the three returned to their work.

Ten minutes later, they were startled from their work by a loud and frantic pounding of their door, causing all three of them to jump and look at the door.

“What the…” Carole cautiously got up, and the pounding on the door continued.

“Hurry up and open the door!” the loud voice was unmistakable, and all three teens in the room looked at each other with wide eyes.

Both Carole and Tuesday squeaked and looked at each other with a scared expression, while Roddy simply sat in shock as he blinked and looked in the direction of the door. He barely registered the huddled figures of Carole and Tuesday as they whispered to each other as they tried to figure out what to do.

“Open up or I will tear down this door!”

Carole and Tuesday squeaked in fear again, before Carole seemed to gather her resolve, and as she straightened her posture and squared her shoulders, she walked in the direction of the door while Tuesday fearfully walked just behind her.

They opened the door to reveal the frantic figure of Ertegun, dressed in a pressed and elegant navy two-piece suit but with a fire in his eyes that neither had ever seen before.

“What did those men look like? Which way did they go? Tell me everything! I’ll hunt those bastards down and get Roddy back!”

The girls looked absolutely terrified as they looked at the enraged man, with Tuesday holding onto Carole as she ducked behind her.

Roddy remained frozen on the couch as he looked at the scene before him, his heart began to beat faster as something warm bubbled up in his chest as he looked on in disbelief.

Ertegun froze when orange in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and his gaze finally strayed to the boy sitting on the couch beyond the door, and shock and relief briefly flashed through his eyes at the sight of the familiar boy. As his gaze returned to the girls standing in front of him however, anger quickly returned to his face as he his eyebrows twitched and he glowered down at the girls.

“Are you insane? What the hell were you thinking calling me and telling me such a ridiculous lie! Do you have any idea what an inconvenience you just caused me with your antics!”

Roddy blinked as he looked closer at Ertegun’s state of dress. He looked nicer than usual… didn’t he have some really important meeting today? Roddy’s eyes widened in realization.

He did… he had an important meeting halfway across town… but he had come here? Because he thought he had been kidnapped?

As Ertegun continue to yell at the two cowering girls that were now holding onto each other and backing away slowly, Roddy finally got up, and in a daze crossed the room and closed the distance between them.

Not caring about Ertegun’s rage, or the two girls on the brunt of his verbal attacks, Roddy continued to walk towards his destination, until he was in front of Ertegun, who finally stopped his shouting in favor of looking down at him, still not looking happy as his eyes narrowed.

He was surprised however, when Roddy wrapped his arms around him and pressed up against him in a soft embrace as he rested his head on Ertegun’s chest and closed his eyes.

Ertegun’s anger seemed to melt away as it was replaced with relief and warmth, and his own arms wrapped around Roddy and drew him closer.

“Don't _ever_ scare me like that again,” Ertegun scolded, his voice firm and serious, but his grip tightened on the slim boy nonetheless.

Roddy nodded against the solid chest.

“Did I cost you that big marketing deal?” Roddy asked softly, guilt heavy on his voice.

Ertegun chuckled as he rested his cheek atop Roddy’s hair.

“Well… I _am_ Ertegun. They would be the fools not to take it. It’s not like I don’t have options,” he replied confidently, but it did little to ease the guilt Roddy felt. Still, the warmth he felt from seeing Ertegun so ready to save him when he thought he was in danger overpowered everything else as he continued to hug the man.

“And you two!” without letting go of Roddy, Ertegun once more turned his glare to the girls, who squeaked and held onto each other tighter.

“I’ll forgive you…”

Both girl’s eyes widened in shock at Ertegun’s more calm voice.

“_Only_ because Roddy never hugs me like this. But you better promise to protect him with your life from this point forward!”

The girls squeaked again before nodding furiously.

“Yes! We promise!”

Ertegun grinned victoriously and nodded as he turned his attention to the boy in his arms as he said something softly to him that they couldn’t hear, and Carole and Tuesday looked at each other with a look of relief and shock.

That was way too scary.

At least now Roddy couldn’t deny that Ertegun had a soft spot for him.


	6. Baby, It's Cold Outside

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weather plant goes down. How do you keep warm?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a while to find the flow for this chapter, hence the longer wait for an update buuut, I'm finally mostly happy with it. thanks so much for the feedback guys! Wow you guys blow me away! And I'm so happy to see more Ertegun/Roddy content out there! Erdy shippers unite! Erm... is that the right ship name? Who knows lol. Enjoy!

Another day of work found them sitting at Ertegun’s work station. Recently, whenever Roddy came over to work with him, Ertegun made sure there was no entourage in the house, so that they managed more than they usually managed when Ertegun was distracted by women and phone calls. Not only that, but Ertegun stayed true to his promise of giving Roddy his undivided attention, and not once did Ertegun even take out his phone.

It wasn’t until a few hours into their work that he began to feel it, a chill that seeped into the room that made Roddy shiver. He ignored it at first, thinking maybe it was just in his head, but as time passed, it only got colder, until Roddy could swear he was beginning to see his own breath.

“Is… it just me or did it just get really cold?” Roddy asked as he rubbed his arm to try and warm up.

Ertegun wore a simple black t-shirt and gray sweatpants, but Roddy could see goosebumps along the skin of his arms.

“Yeah… it does feel chilly in here. How odd.”

For the first time, Ertegun took out his phone and opened it up.

“Huh… it looks like the weather plant went down a few hours ago… did you hear anything about that?” Ertegun asked, and Roddy was quick to take out his own phone to verify what Ertegun told him, and saw that indeed he had received a notification that notified them of the situation and that they were currently working on it.

The plant that maintained Mars’ warm and pleasant temperatures rarely went down, but when it did, the citizens felt it in the piercing cold that was the planet’s natural climate.

“Well good thing I have heating in the house,” Ertegun said as he dialed a number on his phone, and in only a moment, told the person on the other end of the line to turn on the heater and start a fire in the fireplace.

“Maybe I should get home, we got plenty done for today,” Roddy said.

Ertegun frowned.

“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s going be freezing out there. Let me get you a sweater, and we can drink something warm and sit by the fire. How does that sound?” Ertegun suggested with a grin, and Roddy blinked.

In all honesty… it did sound nice. And there was no guarantee that his apartment complex would have heat when he got there. Why not just stay?

“Okay, sure. Thanks for having me.”

Ertegun’s grin widened as he stood from the chair he had been sitting in front of their computer and motioned for Roddy to follow him as he led the way to his room.

Roddy couldn’t help but feel a certain kind of way. He had never seen Ertegun’s room, but as they made their way through the large mansion, he wasn’t surprised to see the luxury of it. It was an enormous room, with a ridiculously large bed that seemed capable of fitting at least ten people, and Roddy wouldn’t be surprised if indeed the famous DJ had that amount of women sleep on his bed at the same time. As Roddy frowned at the thought and the unpleasant feeling that settled in the pit of his stomach, Roddy ignored it and kept his attention on Ertegun as he approached what he imagined was the closet, which as they entered, Roddy wasn’t surprised to see the sheer size of it as well. It was easily larger than his own room back home, and lined with more clothing, shoes, and accessories than Roddy ever imagined a single person would ever wear in a lifetime.

Thankfully, it meant that Ertegun was in no shortage of sweaters despite the rarity of the need for it, and Ertegun looked at the section of sweaters and jackets with a contemplative look before pulling out a green turtle-neck sweater that he handed to Roddy who took it with a quiet thanks.

As Roddy slipped the sweater over his head and pulled it down over his torso, Ertegun had to bite his cheek as he took in the sight of his sweater on the young man, the sweater was large on Roddy’s slim body and the sleeves slipped down over his hands and reached just past his backside.

The sight of it caused his chest to heat up and Ertegun had to tear his gaze away from the younger man before he did something stupid that he would regret, and blindly grabbed a sweater for himself to slip on to protect him from the chill that had seeped into his home.

He had a good heating system, but the sheer size of his house meant that it would still take some time before the heat filled the rooms.

After putting on the red sweater, Ertegun turned his gaze back to Roddy who smiled gently at him, and Ertegun had to bite his cheek again.

* * *

Some time later, after making some hot chocolate and sitting in front of the fireplace with a fleece blanket over each of their shoulders, the two men were surprised when the lights over them flickered for a moment before going out, leaving them with only the flickering light of the fireplace.

Ertegun frowned as he pulled out his phone and called someone asking what had happened, and sighed before hanging up after he was told the situation.

“Looks like whatever they’re doing to try to fix the weather plant is affecting the power grid… they say it shouldn’t be long, and they’re working on the back-up generator, but honestly… you’d think that a colony planet would have better systems in place for this.”

Roddy smiled ruefully. He hoped those outside were faring okay.

“Good thing we’re prepared with a warm drink and a fireplace then,” Roddy said as he took a sip of the warm liquid. 

“Yes, the company certainly helps,” Ertegun said with a grin, and Roddy flushed as he ducked his head and looked away.

“Roddy… what made you want to be a system engineer to work with AI?”

Roddy blinked and turned to look at Ertegun at the unexpected question.

“Oh… well… um… I guess… I was good at it?” Roddy replied with a shrug.

“Oh? Is it not your ideal job?” Ertegun asked, and again Roddy shrugged.

“Well… I mean… I’ve never really had a dream job. I guess when I was a kid I wanted to work with robots, so I thought AI programming would help me with that. But in the end, school was too expensive, so I just learned everything on my own, and its easier to get hired as a freelancer without an education, especially in the music industry. Still, I was lucky to get hired by you, and I like the job, so it’s good enough for me,” Roddy confided with another shrug.

There was a moment of silence, and Roddy was beginning to get nervous. Had he said something wrong? Did Ertegun think less of him because of his answer? Did he want a more educated sound engineer?

“You mean, you learned everything without going to school? That’s amazing Roddy! You really are a genius! I went through so many sound portfolio’s before finding you, and you were the best by far! I knew you were a prodigy, but to learn that you are self-taught? Truly marvelous Roddy!”

Roddy felt himself flush once more, glad that the darkness of the room except for the fire would at least hide his flustered face.

“T-thanks,” Roddy replied softly, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself and hiding part of his face behind the blanket.

Seeing the gesture, Ertegun blinked.

“Are you still cold Roddy?”

Not sure how to answer that it was because of his flustered face, Roddy just nodded, and was surprised when Ertegun opened up his blanket invitingly.

“Come, I’ll share my warmth with you.”

Roddy felt his heart falter in his chest and butterflies in his stomach at Ertegun’s warm invitation, and felt his mind come to a momentary halt as he tried to think of what to say.

He knew he _should_ say no… but something in him said _yes_. Things had been changing between them… and Roddy had been ignoring it for a while now… because he knew this was dangerous, and so, _so_ out of his depth of experience. But it seemed he wasn’t so strong after all, because in a moment, Roddy found himself inching towards Ertegun after setting his mug down, and his face flushed deeper when he realized what he was doing, but the excited patter of his chest was encouraging, and so was Ertegun’s pleased smile.

Before long, he was sitting in front of Ertegun, who wrapped his arms and blanket around Roddy, and a jolt like lightening traveled down Roddy’s spine as heat flared in his chest and radiated to the rest of his body, and Roddy knew he was not cold at _all_, so there had _really_ been no reason to accept Ertegun’s invitation, and yet… he had.

What the hell was he doing?

Ertegun hummed contently behind him, and rested his chin on one of Roddy’s shoulders, making Roddy resist the urge to shiver as another wave of warmth flared through him.

“W-what made you want to be a DJ?” Roddy quickly asked, needing a conversation to keep his mind away from all these unexpected emotions that Ertegun was suddenly making him feel.

“Hm… Well… I looked up to a lot of artists growing up. I wanted to be just like them, famous, rich, a household name. I wanted to prove I was the best through my music. It’s as simple as that. Not as incredible as _your_ story.”

Roddy still had his own blanket over his shoulders, so even though Ertegun was holding him, he couldn’t really feel his arms around him through the fabric, only the weight of them around him, and the warmth that emanated from him.

“What are you talking about? It’s amazing that you’re where you are. You were passionate enough to pursue your dreams and made it happen. Do you realize how many people want to be where you are? The music industry is tough to rise in… but you’ve been at the top for a while… and I don’t see you having another crash anytime soon… your music is still the greatest.”

Roddy’s heart fluttered when he felt Ertegun’s grip tighten around him.

“To be honest… I’ve always been envious of people like you… people who are so passionate and happy to do what you do… the way that you convey your emotions through your music… and make people like me feel them so strongly… that’s truly a gift… I said I don’t mind what I do, but I’m not _passionate_ about it like you, or Carole and Tuesday. Truthfully… I’ve never been passionate about anything. I see people everywhere be passionate about _something_, but that’s never really been me. And I’ve wondered if maybe I’m wired wrong or something… it’s not like I haven’t tried to find something to be passionate about… but the closest I’ve gotten to that is my mecha figures collections,” Roddy chuckled lightly, unsure what made him confide in Ertegun this way, but feeling safe enough in his embrace to do so.

He had never told that to anyone before, yet here he was spilling one of his deepest insecurities onto someone like Ertegun of all people.

“Are you happy Roddy?” Ertegun asked. His voice was soft and gentle, and Roddy knew he had not been wrong to confide in him.

“I think so. Like I said… I like what I do, and meeting people like you and other artists is rewarding and fun.”

Again, Ertegun’s embrace tightened and brought him closer, and Roddy was suddenly resentful of the blanket between them.

“Then you’re perfectly fine. You don’t have to be passionate about anything. As long as you’re happy, that’s more than most people can say about their life. Being passionate about something doesn’t make you happy, it’s actually more frustrating and disappointing than anything. After all… not everyone is as amazing and talented as me, and facing constant rejection will leave people bitter and angry for a long time.”

Roddy smiled softly at Ertegun’s words… so he _could_ be wise when he wanted to be, and his words had definitely served to soothe his insecurity.

“Not to mention… I think you _are_ passionate… but about something you probably haven’t considered,” Ertegun added, and this time Roddy frowned in confusion.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well… I think you’re passionate about helping others. Think about it… you always go up and above when it comes to helping someone. You do it all the time for Carole and Tuesday, and even me. You never say no, and do things others would never risk.”

Roddy flushed when he realized what Ertegun was talking about.

“I always just thought that was doing the right thing… as a good person and friend.”

Ertegun chuckled.

“Do you really think people are that well-meaning? Believe me, people are often selfish. But you Roddy, are the kindest person I’ve ever met. You see the good in people and accept them for who they are, even ego-centric selfish bastards like me. That’s the kind of passion that’s hard to find, and one that makes you more genuine than anyone I’ve ever known. You’re precious and one-of-a kind, and that’s a trait I find more valuable than any kind of passion out there.”

Roddy felt as if his face was on fire, and as if his heart would give out form the way it pounded in his chest.

There were no words that he could say then and there, so he chose to speak with actions instead, so that his hand snuck out from under his blanket, and rested atop of Ertegun’s hand as Roddy leaned back again the solid and warm figure of the man behind him.

Yeah, things were changing alright.

But perhaps… that wasn’t a bad thing.

The cold was the last thing on his mind now, and even when the lights flickered back on and their phones alerted them that the weather plant was working again, the two remained where they were, under the blankets in front of the fireplace as it burned down to its last embers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I love writing these two connecting on deep emotional levels. I hope you do too.


	7. Your Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roddy is in denial.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I have been MIA. But I noticed a surge of activity on this fic and I can only imagine it had to do with P2 of Carole and Tuesday *wiggles eyebrows*.  
I am happy to see that you all have discovered the ultimate Ertegun/Roddy episode! No one can deny them now! *laughs maniacally*  
I actually haven't watched all of P2 yet, oops. I'm getting to it! I'm super behind on a lot of shows and anime, but I'm sure once I watch P2 I'll be hit with a wave of inspiration on more pieces for this fic.
> 
> ***WARNING**  
The beginning is a little steamy.

* * *

It was hot.

Too hot.

He gasped for breath as the body in front of him pressed him up against the wall with more force, the friction created between their bodies sending a sharp trill of pleasure up his spine as he groaned and his hands wrapped around the shirtless back of the man who had him pinned against the wall in the darkened room.

The man placed open mouthed kisses against his neck, suckling against his skin in a way that made him tighten his grip around him and arch his neck to give him more access.

“Roddy…” the husky sound of his name coming from the man barely registered as Roddy become more lost in the way the man’s hands were caressing across his skin and body, electric in a way he had never known touch could be.

As Roddy mewled sounds he didn’t know he was capable of, his nails dug into the lean but muscular back of the man as he hiked him up so that his legs were wrapped around his hips, the new closeness making his heart beat faster.

He felt as if he was on _fire_, his mind foggy as he tried to focus on the hands and lips on him.

“Roddy…”

This time, his name registered a little clearer, the voice now vaguely familiar in a way that it sent a twinge to his stomach.

Wait… how had he gotten here?

Roddy tried to focus on the man in front of him, tried to make out who he was despite the darkness of the room and how his face was tucked against the crook of his neck.

His presence was all-consuming, the source of the heat that ravaged his body, but he couldn’t see his face.

“W-wait… who are you?” Roddy managed to ask, and the man paused, and as he pulled his lips away form Roddy’s neck, he was finally able to see the familiar head of silver hair.

_“Who am I?”_

Roddy woke with a start, heart racing in his chest and eyes wide as he sat up in bed and looked around the familiar sight of his room.

His face felt hot as he brought a hand to his cheek and his lips quivered.

Did… did he just have a dirty dream?

He felt more heat rush to his face, and he didn’t even need to look at his lap to know that yes, he absolutely had had a dirty dream.

And not just any dirty dream…

A dirty dream about _him_.

Ertegun of all people!

Okay… so it happened. There was no denying that. Who else could it have been?! It wasn’t weird, right? No… of course not. Dreams were a representation of subconscious thoughts… and he had watched a particularly steamy movie before bed, and he was going to see Ertegun in the morning for a music session, so it wasn’t weird that his brain had somehow created a permutation of the two in his dreams… which centered around him and Ertegun.

_Ba dump._

His heart skipped a beat, and Roddy found himself taking in a deep breath.

Why did the thought make him feel that way? Why did he suddenly feel hotter?

Did he have a fever? Was he getting sick again?

“Arg!”

Roddy closed his eyes and slapped his palms against his cheeks.

He had to get a grip, why was he taking this so seriously? He’d had plenty of dirty dreams! He was a young adult with hormones! It definitely wasn’t the weirdest dirty dream he’d ever had.

Cough… mecha maid cat girl. He still didn’t know how that one had happened.

The point was! It didn’t mean anything. It was just a dream.

“Just a dream,” Roddy repeated, letting out long breath as he settled back onto his bed with the intent of going back to sleep and putting it out of his mind.

_“Just a dream.”_

* * *

“Roddy, Roddy, Roddy!”

As Ertegun greeted him with open arms in just a pair of sweatpants by the pool where he was told he would be, Roddy tensed as his heart raced and heat immediately flared up on his cheeks.

Nope, nope, _nope_! This could not be happening.

Roddy was frozen to the spot, unable to move or make a sound, and Ertegun tilted his head in confusion at the lack of reply.

Words, words, what were words? How did they work again?

“Hm, are you okay? Why do you look so red?”

As Ertegun got closer, Roddy’s heart beat faster, and when the older man placed the back of his hand against his forehead, Roddy had to resist the urge to shiver, instead, his own hand moved to slap away the offending hand as Roddy did his best to give Ertegun a reprimanding glare.

“I-it’s nothing!” he stammered, trying to keep his voice steady despite his sudden urge to run and hide somewhere.

It took all his willpower to keep his eyes on Ertegun’s face, which was why he was able to clearly see the devilish smirk that formed on his lips as he looked down at the shorter boy.

“Oh? I thought you had seen me shirtless before… but don’t be embarrassed Roddy, it’s only natural to feel flustered at the sight of me like this. After all… I am Ertegun!”

Roddy wanted to die.

He wanted to jump into the pool and drown.

That would be less mortifying than staying where he was.

“D-don’t be an idiot! I’m probably just getting a fever is all!” Roddy replied, a pout of his lips as he looked away to keep the obvious lie from showing on his face.

“Hm, well no worries Roddy, I am more than happy to take care of you again if that’s the case.”

Roddy felt his cheeks go even hotter.

“N-no thank you… that shouldn’t be necessary.”

Ertegun chuckled.

“Very well, then I shall go put on a shirt so you’re not distracted during our session.”

Roddy couldn’t even bring himself to look up at Ertegun’s retreating gaze or give a witty remark.

Yep, there was no way he was going to be able to look at him for the rest of the day.


	8. Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roddy experiences a family death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow guys. So I finally got around to finishing P2 of Carole and Tuesday and can I just say... perfection. What a beautiful, relevant, and powerful conclusion. I was in tears and I made my mom watch it and she was in tears and just... one of the best stories I've ever watched.
> 
> That being said, here is some Angst cause... well cause I wanted to write something powerful and raw.
> 
> ****TRIGGER WARNING****  
MENTIONS OF SUICIDE

He’s with Carole and Tuesday when he gets the news. 

He has three missed calls when he finally checks his phone after they finish the game they were playing. 

Seeing the unusual number of missed calls and texts from his mom to call him back fills him with a sense of dread before he calls her back. 

He is not prepared for what he hears, even as his mom struggles through the words and tears. 

Daisy overdosed. They did their best, but they couldn’t save her. 

Roddy doesn’t remember what his mother says after that, details he can’t even process, like the day of the funeral and words that he’s sure are meant to comfort both him and herself. 

All Roddy feels is a ball of lead settling in the pit of his stomach, and the way he can hardly swallow, and the way Daisy's face and the memories he shared with her flash through his mind. 

Daisy was his cousin, only two years older than him, but Roddy always saw her more like an older sister. They had been close growing up, so many nights spent sleeping at each other’s house. She was the one to introduce him to anime, and always had a list of recommendation at the ready when he wanted to watch something new. 

He mumbles something to his mom, something about getting the next available flight to come home, and he’ll let her know when he’ll land. 

After hanging up, it’s only when he sees that Carole and Tuesday are looking at him with a mix of concern and fear that he realizes he’s crying, and as the girls converge on him and give bring him into their arms, the tears continue to flow. 

But Roddy is numb. It seems his body has processed the news faster than his mind, because he doesn’t feel sad, not really. There’s _something _there, something waiting just beneath the surface, but it’s as if Roddy knows that facing it will bring on something too heavy to bear, something he’s not ready for. 

They lead him to the couch, and sit on either side of him, tentatively asking him what happened. 

Roddy tells them, even if he doesn’t remember saying the words. 

They hold his hand and tell him they’re there for him, and Carole offers to help him book his flight. 

Tuesday gets him some water and it tastes like sand as Roddy takes a few sips. 

Roddy finds himself wanting to ease the look of concern on their faces, so he tells them about Daisy. About how he always looked up to her, how quirky and smart she was, how she encouraged him to come to Alba City and take a chance at being a freelancer. He tells them how the last time they had seen each other was for a family gathering a few months before, and how she had seemed fine. She had just gotten a new job, and seemed happy. He didn’t understand how she could have overdosed. Maybe it had been an accident, maybe some medications hadn’t mixed well. That had to be it. 

She had always seemed so happy. How could he not have known? 

Carole and Tuesday reassure him with words that have no meaning to him, that he can barely even register over the static of his thoughts. 

The static gets louder, and he excuses himself before the cacophony can completely drown out his friends. 

They try to convince him to stay, but Roddy tells them he’ll be fine but needs to be alone, that he’ll keep them updated on when he comes back. 

They don’t look convinced, and Carole makes him promise to check in with them regularly unless he wants them to come barging in to his place. 

Roddy does his best to keep the cacophony at bay, tries to hold onto their words of affection as his chest continues to tighten. 

He doesn’t even remember the ride home, barely remembers opening the door as he jumps onto his computer and immediately searches through all her social media, only to feel that ball of lead grow ten times heavier. 

He doesn’t find her anywhere. 

She deleted them all. 

He calls her next, his hands shaking as he presses the familiar name on his screen. 

He calls her ten times, but each time it goes straight to voicemail. He keeps calling because he wants to hear her voice, even if it's just a recorded message. Proof that she existed. 

The tears come back, and this time that _ thing _beneath the surface is ready to burst. He finds it harder to breath now, and the phone is lying on the floor forgotten. 

The cacophony in his head is practically deafening now, and he covers his ears with his hands, hoping to shut out the sound, only it doesn’t work, because the chaos is in his mind. All the conversations they had, the laughter they shared, the music they listened to. It all blurs together. 

It’s too much. 

Too much. 

_ Too much. _

He crumbles to the floor and shuts his eyes as tight as he can.

The next thing he knows is there is a pair of strong arms around him, he doesn’t even hear his door opening or someone walking in. 

The solid body is familiar, because he’s been held within those arms before. 

A part of him manages to register that he shouldn’t be here, how did he even get in? 

But he doesn’t have any energy to fight the embrace, nor does he want to. 

His embrace grounds him, makes that _ thing _shrink just a little. 

“I’m here, Roddy. I’m here with you.” 

His words sound like salvation, and as more sobs wrack his body, the arms around him hold him tighter, and Roddy sobs harder than he ever has before. But it’s a relief, to not hold it back. Because he feels safe in his embrace. He is not alone. 

Roddy turns in Ertegun’s embrace so that he’s in his lap as they sit on the cold ground and buries his face into the crook of his neck as he wraps his arms around him tightly. 

Ertegun rubs his back soothingly, his other hands threading through his hair as he whispers words of comfort and assurance. 

It brings him back from the abyss of despair he had been spiraling down, soothes him enough to calm his sobs and breathing after some time. 

But once he’s calm, something else flares up within his chest, something scorching and fierce. 

He’s angry. 

His hands clench into fists. 

Because _how could she_. 

How could she just do that to herself? 

Why couldn’t she come to him if she wasn’t happy? Did she not trust him? Did she not love him enough to share even the darkest parts of herself? Why did she have to do that? Did she not think about how her actions would hurt everyone? Hurt _ him _? 

He somehow manages to find the energy to say the words aloud, tears himself away from Ertegun as he begins to pace around the room, angry tears running down his face, and his throat feels hoarse after he says what he wants to say. 

Ertegun lets him do it, but once grief and guilt settle back into the pit of his stomach, he goes back to Ertegun, who welcomes him with ease as he wraps his arms around him and holds him tight. 

He can’t do this. 

He just can’t. 

It hurts too much. 

Ertegun tells him he can, and he will. He tells him he’ll take care of everything, to let him do the work. He’ll book the flight, and go with him. 

Roddy manages to look at him with shock, and tells him not to be ridiculous, he has to be there for his family, he’s not going to burden him with that. 

Ertegun says he doesn’t care. Assures him he’ll stay at a hotel and just wait for him until everything is taken care of and he’s ready to come back. He won’t intrude on his family if he doesn’t want. 

Roddy can’t seem to wrap his mind around what Ertegun means. 

Why...? 

Ertegun seems to hear his silent question, and smiles warmly at him as he wipes away a few more stray tears. 

Because Ertegun knows how Roddy is, knows he will be there for everyone to lean on, take on more than he can handle just to take the burden off someone else. But he can see the grief and pain, the way he’s barely able to hold himself together. 

Roddy will take care of everyone. 

But... 

“Who will take care of _ you _?” 


End file.
